The Rector Writes

Dear Friends,

Parish Consultation: where do we go from here?

Recently, the Parish Planning Group has been considering the future development of our parish following the successful completion of the Clonsilla Parish Centre. We have been asking: what is the church for? What are our priorities and goals for the next five years? Where is God calling us? We have been trying to concentrate less on the everyday business matters and more on the vision, the strategic focus.

To this end, the Group has asked the two Select Vestries for their opinions, feelings and prayerful thoughts and some interesting answers have been received. Top of the list have been the areas of youth ministry, care for the elderly, supporting outreach to the local community and the developing world, and the basics of prayer and spirituality. Now we want to know what you think. What do you see as the future direction of our parish? Where do you believe God is calling us?

What we want to hear is the big picture, the broad vision – not the details of what works or what doesn’t at the moment. At the back of each church over the next few weeks will be a box and some slips of paper for you to write down your ideas. The Parish Planning Group will read each one of the suggestions and consider them carefully. Then, in the New Year, we will bring several of the most frequently raised issues to an awayday conference for both Vestries and any other parishioners who wish to attend. That will be the time when we will shape the programme for the next five years, under God’s guidance. So now is your chance to give your opinion. Please do make use of it.

We will also have to make sure that the resources that we have are being used and channelled effectively towards these priorities. That might mean looking at how we spend our money and the time of the clergy and volunteers. To that end, the Parish Planning Group asked me to analyse how my working week was organised: what took most time, what was least. The results are published elsewhere in this issue, and they might surprise you…..

Meanwhile, as Christmas approaches fast, we should remember that the coming of the Christ child is the heart of the Christian faith: God With Us. Let us not lose sight of that fact behind everything else. I wish you God’s richest blessing for this season.

Yours in his service

Andrew

Back to top